Substituted triazdfes



r i h. P

' drin, depending on the formaldehyde-acryloni- UNITED sures PATENT osnca Thomas and Thomas lk iteadmn,

Akron, Ohio, amignors to ThehlkGoodrleh company, New York, N. Y.,a corporation of NcwYork Thisinvention relatestonovelheterocyclie andpertainsmoreparticularlytothe preparation of substituted triasines by an acid catalysed reaction of formaldehyde with acrylonitrile or an alphasubstituted aerylonitrile.

It is known that when acrylonitrile is reacted with formaldehyde in aqueous solution and in' the pruence of an alkaline condensing agent such as sodium hydroxide there is obtained the hemiformal 'or the formal of ethylene cyanohytrlle molar ratio. 7 -We have now discovered that when formalde' hyde and acrylonitrile (or an alpha-substitute acrylonitrile) are brought together in the presenceofacatalyticamountofanorganicorinorganic acid. reaction occurs to produce novel heterocyclic compounds of the general formula LIKE 1H1 Ha wherein B may be hydrogen. alkyl. aryl, or aralkyl. depending on the particular nitrile which is used. These novel compounds as a class are correctly named hexahydro 1,3,5-tris-acyl-striazines. Thus. for example, the compound obtained from formaldehyde and acrylonitrile (i. e., when It is hydrogen) may be named hexahydrol,3,5 tris-acrlyl-s-triaaine. The compounds having the unusual structure shown "above. as well as the saturated compounds resulting when the above compounds are hydrogenated by any of the usual methods of' hydroscnstloh, have not been prepared heretofore, and are useful for a number of purposes.

The saturated derivatives of the above compounds possess the general formula K cm ' ire-n saturated hexahydro-lfifi-tris-acyl-triaslnes are Application meal... a, 194:. sci-a1 No. 4am

s can. (0l. see-us) obtained may be'represented by the following equation:

3 As has been disclosed hereinabove, either acryonitrile or any alpha-substituted acrylonitrlle of the general formula R CHF-CEN hydrogen, alkyl. aryl or aralkyl substituents reacts with formaldehyde in accordance with the invention; Acrylonitrile itself and the alpha alhl substituted acrylonitriles such as alphamethyl acrylonltrile. alpha-ethyl acrylonitrile, alpha-propyl acrylonitrile, alpha-butyl acrylonitrile and the like form a preferred class of acrylonitriles for use in the reaction although alpha-aryl substituted acrylonitriles such as alpha-phenyl acrylonitrile, alpha-tolylacrylonitrile. and the like, as well as alpha-aralkyl sub! stituted acrylonitries such as alpha-benzyl acrylonitrile, alpha-phenylhexyl acrylonitrile and the like may also be used advantageously.

It is desirable that the formaldehyde which re-'- acts with acrylonitrile be substantially anhydrous. Accordingly. the formaldehyde is preferably obtained from trioxane, polyoxymethylene or other substance which produces formaldehydeinthepresenceofanacidorwhen heated. g

The formaldehyde and acrylonitrile are preferably broughtvtogether in equimolecular pro-. portions (the amount theoretically required for the reaction) although other ratios, including an excess of either reactant may also be employed.

The acid which is utilized in the reaction serves both to catalyze the formation of the triazlne ring and to react with trioxane or other formaldehyde producing substance to form the formaldehyde which is utilized in the reaction. Any inorganic or organic acid such as concentrated sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid and the like is operative. The acid is preferably employed in catalytic amounts of from 1% to 10% although smaller or larger amounts may beusedifdesired.

The reaction of formaldehyde with acrylonitrile in with this invention is carried out simp y by bringing the reactants into eilicient contact and adding the acid. Although the 3 reaction will proceed slowly at room temperature or even lower it is desirable that the reaction mixture be brought to reflux temp rature, temperatures of from 50 C. to 125C. generally being suitable for thispurpose.

thepru'duet-isobtainede-sasolidwhichmaybe separated from unreacted liquid, if any, by filtering. A product 'of higher purity is obtained, however, 'by first neutralizing "the catalyst by the-addition of aqueous alkali whereupon the solid product disperses, forming an alkalme susq pension from which the product'may be obtained in substantially pure form simply by filtering. Alternativelnthe reactants maybe brought together in the presence of an inert solvent or diluent, for example, acetic acid, it being desirable that such solvent or diluent have a boiling point sufllciently high to allow the reaction to be conducted at the reflux temperature of the nitrile without. appreciable loss of solvent or diluent through vaporization. It is to be understood that the particular manner in which the reaction is conducted is not critical and any con ventional procedure may be adopted.

The saturated compounds of this. invention at prepared by hydrogenating the unsaturated compounds prepared in the manner disclosed herelnabove by any of the known methods of hydro-' genation. For example, one method consists in placing an alcohol solution of the unsatu rated compound and a platinum oxide hydrogenation catalyst in a hydrogen absorption apparatus and introducing hydrogen into the solution whereupon the saturated compound is obtained from the alcoholic solution.-

The preparation of both the saturated and the unsaturated compounds will be described in greater detail in the following specific examples wherein all'parts are by weight. The examples are not to be construed as a limitation on the scope of the invention, however, for there are, of course, numerous possible variations and modifications.

' Example I v A solution of parts (equivalent to one mole formaldehyde) of trioxane in 54 parts (one mole) of acrylonitrile is placed in a glass reactor equipped with a reflux condenser and a stirrer. The solution is cooled to 15 C. with a water bath and 5.5 parts of concentratedsulfuric acid are added dropwise. The water bath is heated to a temperature so that the reaction mixture begins to reflux. The temperature of the reaction mixture slowly rises to 92 C., at which point the reaction mixture is surrounded by an ice bath to eliminate the excess heat of the exothermic reaction./ when the reaction mixture cools to 80 C. a solution of 4.3 parts of sodium hydroxide in 300 parts of water is added. The solid product which has formed in the reaction mixture disperses readily in this medium, forming an alkaline suspension. Upon filtering and drying of the product 34.5 parts (40.5%) of hexahydro-l,3,5- ris-acrylyl-s-triazine are obtained.

Analysis:

Calculated for CHHIINIOI:

Found:

4 Example II 1.5 parts d the compound prepared in Example 1 together with 12 parts of ethanol and .005 part of a platinum oxide hydrogenation catalyst (Adam's catalyst) are placed in a hydrogen absorption apparatus and hydrogen is introduced into the solution for 93 minutes at. 30 C. From the alcoholic solution are obtained 1.3 parts (84.6%) of hexahydro-1,3,5-tris-propionyl-s-triazine. (M. P. 169-170 C.)

(Xtbdll climax-0' 56.457 Oils (f 56 56.537 IL...

sari Hr an sari w t...- 255.8 Moleeu weight- 35, N1

Emmple'III To a well stirred solution of 30 parts of trioxane in 6'! parts (one mole) of alpha-methyl acrylonitrile are added 5.5 parts of concentrated suli'uric acid. The temperature of the reaction rises slowly due to an exothermic reaction. The mixtur'eiswarmed slowly over a period of one hour to a temperature of C. and then cooled to solution of 4.3 parts of sodium hydroxide lved in 250 parts of water are added to the reaction mixture'whereupon an oily phase forms, which slowly solidifies to a crystalline material. After separation of the solid crystals, and two recrystallizations from chloroform there are obtained 40 parts (41.3%) of hexahydro-l,3,5- tris-methacrylyl-s-triazine. (M. P. l50-l51 C.)'

Analysis:

i'or CuHnNaOr Found: Carbon Carbon 61 837, 61. :4. Hydrogen 7.27 H drogen 7 2s 7. Nitrogen a N trogen. 14.41 14.47, Molecular weight 291. 3 Molecular weight. 202

Example IV 2 parts of the compound obtained in Example III are placed in ethanol solution together with .005 part of a platinum oxide hydrogenation .cat-

alyst and the solution then placed in a hydrogen absorption apparatus. Hydrogen is introduced into the solution for 90 minutes at30 C. From the alcoholic solution are obtained 1.5 parts (75%) 0f hexahydro-1,3,5-trisdsobutyryl-si-triazine. (M; P. -149 C.)

Analysis:

Calculated for uHnNsOr: Found: Carbon 60. 58% Carbon 60. 81%, 60.82% Hydrogen 0.15% H drogen 9. 0.15 N trogen 14. 13% Nitrogen 14.04%, 14. 05%

wherein R. is a member of the class consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl, and aralkyl are utilized in the reaction with formaldehyde.

The unsaturated compounds of this invention polymerize readily on heating, preferably in the presence of peroxide catalysts, to white, infusible materials which are useful for many purposes.

75 The unsaturated compounds are also'useful as stabilizers for vinyl resins and as crosabonding agents in thermosetting resin compositions. The saturated derivatives tend to be more stable than the unsaturated compounds and have many valuable uses. For example, they may be used as insecticides, fungicides, as chemical intermediates and for numerous other uses.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been herein described, it is not intended to limit the invention thereto, but only to the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. The method of preparing a heterocyclic compound of the formula CH: nit-n wherein R is a member of the class consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl and aralkyi, which comprises reacting a formaldehyde supplying compound with a compound of the formula wherein R is a member of the class consisting of hydrogen, alkyl, aryl and aralkyl, in the presence of an acid catalyst, and treating an alcohol solution of the thus produced product with hydrogen in the presence of a platinum oxide hydrogenation catalyst.

2. The method of preparing hexahydro-1,3,5- tris-propionyl-s-triazine which comprises reacting a formaldehyde supplying compound with acrylonitrile in the presence of an acid catalyst and at a temperature of from 50" C. to 125 C. and treating an alcohol solution of the thus proluced product with hydrogen in the presence of 20 platinum oxide hydrogenation catalyst.

THOMAS L. GRESHAM. THOMAS R. STEADMAN.

No references cited. 

1. THE METHOD OF PREPARING A HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUND OF THE FORMULA 